Engine.



PATENTED MAY 10, 1904.

E. T. FORD.

ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED 10110.15, 1903.

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Nb. 759,510. PATENTED MAY 10, 1904.

E. T. FORD.

ENGINE.

APPLICATION mm) 11110.15, 1903.

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UNITED STATES Patented May 10, 1904.

' PATENT OFFICE.

ETHELBERT T. FORD, OF ST. LOUIS, M ISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO PETER H MURPHY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ENGINE.

SPEGIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 759,510, dated May 10, 1 904.

Application filed December 15, 1903. Serial No. 185,243. (No model.)

To all whom, it it may concern:

Be it known that I, E'rrmnsnnrr T. Fem), a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to engines, and particularly to steam-engines of that type which comprise two pistons in the same cylinder and moving at right angles to each other.

The principal objects of my invention are to control the fluid admission to and exhaust frorn'the engine by peculiarly-arranged ports in the inner piston and cover-plate of the cylinder, to admit and exhaust the motive fluid to the cylinder without the employment of ports in the end walls of the outer piston or the sides of the inner piston, to dispense with the use of valves to control admission and exhaust, and other objects hereinafter more fully appearing. My invention consists in the parts and in the arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur, Figure 1 is a view of the cylinder with the cover-plate removed, showing the pistons. Fig. 2 is a view of the inner face of the coverplate. Fig. 3 is a substantially horizontal section of the engine on the line 3 3 of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a substantially vertical section of the engine on the line 4 4 of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a section of the engine on the line 5 5 of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 6 is a fragment of a section of the engine on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1. Figs. 7 and 8 are fragmentary sections correspondingto Fig. 6, showing the pistons in two positions subsequent to that shown in the other figures.

The cylinder (so called not on account of its shape, but because it corresponds in its function with'the cylinders of other engines) of the engine consists of a body-section 1, to which a back plate 2 and cover-plate 3 are secured by means of bolts 4.

The back plate is provided with an outer annular flange 5 and a circular opening 6, into which the shaft 7 to be driven extends and through which the crankpin 8 projects. The crank-pin 8 is mounted in a counter-weighted crank-arm 9, secured on the shaft. A casing 10,within which the crank and counterweighted crank-arm revolves, is secured within the said annular flange 5 by means of bolts 11. A bearing 12 for the shaft is made integral with the said casing.

The body-section 1 is substantially rectangular in shape and contains a substantially rectangular piston-chamber .13. The rectangular shape of the chamber is only slightly modified by segmental extensions 14 15 to accommodate the segmental flanges of the inner piston, to be hereinafter described, and by recesses 16 in position to register with ports in the cover-plate to admit steam behind the pistons and to exhaust therefrom. In the upper side of the body-section 1 are ducts 17 18, terminating on the outside in bosses suitable for the connection of steam-pipes thereto and terminating at the front face of the body-section in position to register with admission and exhaust ducts in the cover-plate 3. To the duct 17 the steam-supply pipe is connected, and to the duct 18 the exhaust-pipe is connected.

The cover-plate 3 is provided with a series of ducts, through which the steam is admitted to and exhausted from the piston-chamber. At its center is a counterbored port 19, which is the inner terminus of a duct 20, the outer terminus of which registers with the steamadmission duct 17 in the body-section 1. This port is hereinafter referred to as the admis sion-portfi Concentric with the admissionpo-rt 19 is an annular channel 21, which communicates with a duct 22, the outer terminus of which registers with the exhaust-duct 18 in the bodyasection 1. hereinafter referred to as the exhaust-port. Arranged in the annular space between the admission and exhaust ports areports 23 2 1 25 26. These ports, hereinafter called in- This annular channel is Y nor ports, are peculiarly shaped, havilig=two straight sides and concentric with the admission-port, and other arcuate sides connecting said arcuate side and the straight sides, respectively, the curvature of the latter sides being that of the ducts of which these ports are termini. The said inner ports are so located that a line drawn from the center of the admission-port to the angle formed by the straight sides will make an angle of twentythree and one-half degrees with the adjacent horizontal or vertical medial line. This peculiar shape and exact location of the inner ports are not essential to operativeness, but give the best efficiency. The shape of the ports is such as to regulate the admission of the steam. One of the angles is first uncovered, and thus the aperture is small. This is when the piston is at one of the extremes of its movement. Later, when the piston has moved a little distance, a wider portion of the port is uncovered and steam is admitted more rapidly, and, vice versa, the rate of steamsupply is gradually diminished before it is completely out 011. Located upon the horizontal and vertical medial lines near the edge of the cover-plate in positionto register with the recesses 16 in the body-section 1 are ports 27 28 29 30, hereinafter called outer ports. Ducts 31 32 33 34 connect the inner ports and the outer ports, duct 31 connecting ports 23 and 27, duct v32 connecting ports 24 and 28, duct 33 connecting ports 25 and 29, and duct 34 connecting ports 26 and 30. It will be noted that the respective outer ports are not connectedto the nearest inner ports, but the medial lines from the center of the admissionport through connected ports make an angle of about sixty-six and one-half degrees with each other. The object of this arrangement will appear in the description of operation of the engine.

An outer or primary piston 35 reciprocates in the piston-chamber. The said outer piston is rectangular in shape and hollow, its end walls being imperforate. Within it a substantially rectangular inner or secondary piston 36 reciprocates. Upon its upper and lower sides the inner piston 36 has segmental flanges 37 38, which are provided to coverthe annular exhaust-port 21 in the cover-plate when the inner piston is at the upper and lower extremes of its movement. It is to accommodate these flanges that the segmental extensions 14 15 of the piston chamber are provided. The upper and lower walls of the outer piston are cut away sufficiently to permit the said segmental flanges to project beyond them. It will be noted that the sides of the inner piston are imperforatethat is, they have no ports-the ports being confined to one face. The inner piston is centrally connected to the crank-pin. Concentric with the crankpin and in the face in contact with the coverplate 3 the inner piston is provided with a circular port 39, having suhstantiallythe same diameter as the admission-port, and concentric with said port is an annular port 40, having substantially the same dimensions as the exhaust-port in the cover-plate. These ports are eccentric to the admission and exhaust ports, which are concentric with the shaft 7. Hence the circular port 39 is enabled to periodically establish communication between the admission-port 19 and the inner ports and the annular port 49 is enabled to periodically establish communication between the inner ports and the exhaust-port 21.

The engine operates as follows: The movement of the outer piston 35 is reciprocatory with respect to, the cylinder. The movement of the inner piston 36 with respect to the outer piston 35 is reciprocatory; but with respect to the cylinder every point of the inner piston moves in a circular path which is the resultant' of the two reciprocatory movements at right angles to each other. Hence the circular port 39 and annular port 40 in the face of the innerpiston move in circular paths, and thus perform the functions pointed out at the conclusion of the preceding paragraph. The channels of communication for the position of the parts shown in Fig. 1 are illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, and 5. The steam is admitted at 17, passing through duct 20 to admission-port 19, Fig.- 4, which through circular port 39 is in communication with port 24 of duct 32,

Figs. 3 and 5, which discharges through outer port28 to the lower recess 16 and extension 15 of the piston-chamber, Figs. 4 and 5. The inner piston 36 will thus be driven upwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1. At the same instant the space at the opposite side of the inner piston is being exhausted. Through the recess 16 and outer port 30 the extension 14 of the piston-chamber is in communication with the duct 34, the inner port 26 of which is in register with the annular port 40 of the inner piston, Fig. 5. This latter port communicates with the exhaust-port 21, Figs. 4 and 5, and thus communicates with the duct 22 and exhaust-duct 18, Fig. 2. At this time the portions of the piston-chamber on either side of the outer piston are closed. This is as it should be, for during this portion of the inner pistons movement the horizontal component is very small. An instant later, however, Fig. 7 the circular port 39 will bring the admission port 19 into communication with the inner port 23, and steam will be admitted to the piston-chamber at the left of the outer piston, as shown in Fig. 1. At the same time the annular port 40 brings theinner port 25-into communication with the exhaust-port 21, and the opposite end of the piston-chamber will be exhausted. At this instant both pistons are under pressure. A quarter of a revolution later, Fig. 8, the condition of Fig. 6 with respect to the inner piston obtains with respect to the outer piston, steam being admitted solely to port 23 and exhausted solely from port 25, the ports 24 and 26 being closed, and so on throughout the complete revolution.

The steam may be admitted through the duct 18 and discharged through the duct 17, in which case the engine would move in a direction opposite to that just described. four-way valve may be provided connecting the-admission and exhaust pipes, whereby the admission and exhaust may be reversed and the direction of rotation of the engine may be thus reversed.

While the engine has been described as a steam-engine, it is obvious that it may be operated by any fluid agent.

Obviously the engine admits of considerable modification within the scope of my invention, and 1 do not wish to be limited to the specific form hereinbefore described for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

What I claim is 1. An engine comprising a cylinder having a piston-chamber therein, a cover-plate provided with steam-ducts having ports in the face thereof, a reciprocating piston having imperforate end walls in said piston-chamber, a second piston in said piston-chamber arranged to reciprocate with respect to said first-named piston and provided with ports in the face adjacent said cover-plate.

2. An engine comprising a cylinder having a piston-chamber therein and a cover-plate provided with duets terminating in ports in the face thereof, a reciprocating piston having imperforate end walls in said piston-chamher, a second piston having imperforate sides in said piston-chamber arranged to reciprocate with respect to said first-named piston, and provided with ports in the face adjacent said cover-plate.

8. An engine comprising a cylinder having a piston-chamber therein and a cover-plate provided with ducts terminating in ports in the face thereof, the outer ones of said ports communicating with the said piston-chamber, a reciprocating piston having imperforate end walls in said piston-chamber, a second piston in said piston-chamber arranged to recipro' cate with respect to said first-named piston and provided with ports arranged to connect successively the inner ones of said ports of said cover-plate.

4:. An engine comprising a cylinder having a piston-chamber therein and a cover-plate provided with ducts terminating in ports in the face thereof, the outer ones of said ports communicating with the said piston-chamber, a reciprocating piston having imperforate end walls in said piston-chamber, a second piston having imperforate sides in said piston-chamher and arranged to reciprocate with respect to said first-named piston and provided with ports arranged to connect successively the inner ones of said ports of said cover-plate.

5. An engine comprising a cylinder having a piston-chamber therein and a cover-plate provided with ducts terminating in substantiall y triangular ports arranged about a center and having their apexes extending outwardly from the center, a primary reciprocating piston in said piston-chamber, a secondary piston arranged to reciprocate with respect to said primary piston and provided with ports in the face adjacent said cover-plate arranged to periodically communicate with said triangular ports.

6. An engine comprising a cylinder having a substantially rectangular piston-chamber with segmental extensions thereof on opposite sides and a cover-plate provided with ducts terminating in ports in the face thereof, certain of said ports opening into said segmental extensions of said piston-chamber, a primary reciprocating hollow piston in said pistonchamber, a secondary piston in said primary piston arranged to reciprocate with respect thereto and provided with segmental flanges on opposite sides corresponding with said segmental extensions in said piston-chamber,

and ports in the face adjacent said coverplate.

7. An engine comprising a cylinderhaving a pistonchamber therein and a cover-plate provided with admission and exhaust ducts having ports in the central portion of said plate, and ducts having ports intermediate of said admission and exhaust ports and other ports communicating with said piston-chamber at its sides; a primary reciprocating piston in said chamber; a secondary piston in said piston-chamber arranged to reciprocate with respect to said primary piston and provided with ports, one ar anged to successively eonnect said admission-ports with said intermediate ports and the other arranged to successively connect said exhaust-port with said intermediate ports whereby said intermediate ports are alternately connected to said admission and exhaust ports.

8. An engine comprising a cylinder having a piston-chamber therein and a cover-plate provided with an admission-duct terminating in a central circular port, an exhaust-duct terminating in an annular port concentric with said admission-port, and other ducts terminating at one end in ports intermediate of said admission and exhaust ports and terminating at their opposite ends in ports opening into said piston-chamber near the limits of movement of the pistons; a primary reciprocating piston in said piston-chamber; a secondary piston in said piston-chamber arranged to reciprocate with respect to said primary piston and provided with a central circular port and a concentric annular port, the former being arranged to successively connect said ad mission IIS municating with the steam supply and eX- haust, respectively, and a piston in said piston-chamber provided with ports in the face 5 adjacent said cover-plate arranged to successively open communication between said ducts. in testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. v

ETHELBERT T. FORD. Witnesses:

FRED F. REIsNER, J. B. MEGoWN. 

